Debris, such as cerumen and moisture can accumulate on personal audio devices causing a variety of problems, such as clogging sound openings and corroding parts. Parts and features of the personal audio device need to be protected from such debris to prevent any adverse effects.
Traditionally, barriers are used to protect the personal audio device from debris ingress through sound ports. A problem with these barriers is that they eventually soil, which affects the acoustic transmission. The existing solutions require cleaning or replacement of the barrier, but this process tends to be too complicated either because of size or tool requirements. Improper servicing can aggravate the situation taking contaminants to locations where they damage other parts of the personal audio device, which parts may be even more difficult to service.